Abdelkader will start on Wings' top line with Datsyuk and Zetterberg

TRAVERSE CITY -- The Detroit Red Wings have announced how the three teams will look as training camp is set to begin Thursday morning.

For the start of things, Justin Abdelkader will be paired on the top line with Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, while Stephen Weiss will center another newcomer, Daniel Alfredsson, and Johan Franzen.

"What's really exciting about our team is we improved our team a ton last year, since '09 our team has progressively getting worse," Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "We still got lots of points, we still had a good team, but last year we started going in the right direction again. In the nine years I've been here that's the best rookie (class) we've had here by far."

The third line will consist of Gustav Nyquist, Joakim Andersson and Todd Bertuzzi, while Cory Emmerton will center Drew Miller and Patrick Eaves.

That leaves Mikael Samuelsson, Jordin Tootoo and Tomas Tatar battling to work their way into the lineup.

"We have 16 forwards in camp that plan on playing in the NHL, that's too many," Babcock said. "So the competition from within is as high a level as we've ever had it which is a positive thing.

"There will be guys on our team, but your chunk of cheese you better bite on and hang on because someone else wants it," Babcock ended.